HNnKn Kai Kaiki hen Recovery Chapter
by japaneserockergirl
Summary: When Shion discovers that Satoshi is alive, she dedicates almost all of her time trying to find a cure for the HS with Irie. But the road to recovery is a tough battle for Shion, who must deal with the fact that Satoshi may only see her as a monster...DISCONTINUED. I suggest reading "Waiting" instead! It's much better!
1. A Rude Awakening

Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai

Hey, hey, hey! It's me, japaneserocker, with yet _another _fan fiction! Don't worry; I'll finish _Of Cake and Men_ soon (In fact, I'm revising it right now so they'll be less OOCness.). Anyway, the ending of _Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai_ was an awesome one, and yet...it left so many things out in the open. One of the most important questions was "What would be the fate of our lovely Satoshi-kun?" So, I decided to write a fic to answer that. And here it is: Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai: Kaiki-hen! Enjoy!

**H**igurashi **n**o **n**aku **k**oro** n**i **K**ai-**K**aiki-**h**en

When Cicadas Cry

_Recovery Chapter_

Part I: A Rude Awakening

Satoshi began to stir, wrinkling the sheets of his bed. He struggled to lift his heavy eyelids as he began to murmur something. Shion, who had been sitting on an armchair next to him, reading, jumped to attention. Her book fell to the floor with a soft _CLAP_ as she stood up beside him.

"Satoshi-kun?" she inquired hopefully.

His eyes fluttered open. Satoshi carefully propped himself up against the reclining bed. The haze slowly lifted from his vision as his wine-red, brown eyes adjusted to the fluorescent lighting of the hospital room. Dazed, he slowly looked around, from the glass window that revealed the empty hallway to the tubes and appliances attached to his very being, which lead to the machines by the bed. With a relieved sigh, he ran his fingers through his blond hair. The demons that had been attacking him earlier had vanished.

"Satoshi-kun?" Shion asked again, trying to get the entranced boy's attention.

She placed a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. Satoshi turned to the green-haired female beside him. His pupils shrank in his horrified eyes as his face contorted with fear. A grotesque demon with scaly, rough skin and menacing red eyes was pulling at his arm, sinking its claws into his skin. Maggots began pouring from the wound and an overbearing urge to scratch took over his body.

"AAAAHHHH!" Satoshi shrieked, digging his nails into his arm, "Get out of my body! GET OUT OF MY _BODY_!"

"Satoshi-kun, calm down! There are no maggots!" Shion consoled, reaching out to the screaming teen.

"No! Get away from me, you monster!" he cried, slapping her hand away.

Shion reluctantly forced Satoshi down, only to have the male's feet kick her back constantly as he tried to tear himself from her powerful grip. He scratched her in the face, causing little droplets of blood to run down her cheek, and continued his screaming fit. Irie rushed into the room with a rag, which was damp, with what Shion guessed, was chloroform.

"AAAAAAHHHH!" Satoshi screamed even _louder_, "DEMONS! DEMONS! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!"

Shion tried to calm him down with soothing words, but Satoshi refused to be deceived so easily, no matter how calming the words of the monster next to him was. He continued to protest, to yell. Irie helped Shion force the blonde's head against the pillow, then shoved the rag over his nose and mouth. Satoshi's frantic eyes darted back and forth frantically, from Irie to Shion and back, before glazing over as he succumbed to the sickly sweet stench of the substance. His eyelids draped over his eyes. Relief spread over his face…and through his bed sheets.

"Oh!" Shion gasped.

"Ah, Shion-san, you're bleeding!"

"It-It's okay," she replied, wiping the blood onto a napkin.

"If it is, then could you please get me some new sheets?" Irie requested.

With a nod, Shion headed out the door and down the corridor towards the closet. Her eyes burned from holding back the tears she refused to shed. A lump formed in her throat. She wasn't so upset over being called a demon (But don't get me wrong. That hurt, too.) as much as she was upset over the pain Satoshi had to endure. Hadn't he suffered enough already? Shion could only imagine how _terrified _Satoshi probably was right now. This was _not_ the kind of awakening she had been hoping for.

Irie patted her head as she stood before the closet, shattering the girl's thoughts. It was then that she had realized she was crying.

He gently whispered into her ear, "I'm so sorry that you had to see that. You should probably go home early today."

Shion slept badly that night; the image of her beloved yet horrified Satoshi always appearing behind her eyelids.

--

Keiichi opened his bedroom door just a crack, his lavender-blue eyes scanning the hallway, making sure that no one was around to see him in such an embarrassing state. Once again, he had lost a game to, which he called, the green-haired she-devil. Also known as Mion Sonozaki. Everybody knows in the tradition of the Gaming Club, whoever loses a game receives a penalty game. And Keiichi swore that this one belonged in the Hall of Embarrassing Penalty Games. Hell, he should just tear down the hall and make a shrine in dedication to this one.

_Good, everybody's gone. Maybe God doesn't hate me as much as I thought..._

Quietly, Keiichi slipped out of the room, dressed in one of Rena's schoolgirl outfits, which Irie had designed himself. He tiptoed downstairs.

_Almost there...almost __there__..._

"Hey, Keiichi! Good morning!" cried a cheery, masculine voice.

"D'OH!"

Keiichi cocked his head a bit to the side, where his father stood. He was in a robe and holding a mug of coffee. He could tell that he was trying his hardest not to laugh because of the constant twitch of the elder's lips.

_Dammit! So close! Why, God? WHY?!_

"Ah, I see you're trying on another...outfit."

"Y-yeah," Keiichi muttered. He looked at the floor, wishing he could just melt into the carpet. This had not been the first time his father had seen him in something..._unusual_. In fact, it was now a daily occurrence, something to be expected of him.

His mother, who was wiping a glass, entered the lobby.

"What's going on..._here?_"

"Hi, mom."

"G-G-Good morning, Keiichi. Did...did you sleep well?"

"Yeah."

Insert awkward silence here. His mother turned to his father.

She whispered, "Hideaki, I think that Keiichi may be hiding something from us. I think he feels that we would take it the wrong way--"

"Mom, I'm not hiding anything. It's a dare--"

"Now, now, Chiharu. It's just a phase."

"It's _not_ a phase! It's a dare!"

"But still. What if he's...y'know? I have nothing against that, but maybe he doesn't know--"

"_Hello?!_ Does anybody realize...that I'M. STILL. HERE?!"

"Don't worry; I'm sure Keiichi realizes that we're dedicated to him 100, no matter what. And we'll always give him our undivided attention."

"Oh, _forget_ it!" Keiichi cried, slipping into a pair of school shoes before he slammed the door behind him.

He walked along his normal path to school, ignoring the unusual stares he was getting from the townsfolk—or at least _trying_ _to_. He heightened his pace. The sooner he got to school, the sooner this _nightmare_ could end. As usual, Rena awaited his arrival by the fences.

"Morning, Keiichi-kun! You look so _cute_ today!" she exclaimed with joy as she waved the approaching male.

"Morning," Keiichi grumbled bitterly.

"Hau! Don't look so sad! It'll be over soon!"

"Not soon enough. I'm going to need _years_ of therapy after I finish high school because of you guys!"

"Aw! You know you love us."

"Define love..."

"Hey, guys!" Mion greeted as they came by the watermill shed, where she would always wait for them.

"Don't _'Hey'_ me, you—you bastard! You fucking made my parents think I'm gay or something!"

"Hey, what's wrong with gay people?"

"Nothing, but in case you haven't noticed...I'M NOT GAY!"

Mion dismissed Keiichi's comment with a wave of her hand. "You've been through worse. What are a few rumors?"

"If you weren't my friend..." Keiichi began as they continued walking.

"Mi-chan, where's Shi-chan?" Rena inquired.

"She's probably still asleep. Kasai said that she came home late yesterday from her shift at Angel Mort."

"Why is she so busy these days, I wonder? I wonder?" Rena asked.

"Yeah," Keiichi added, "Lately, she's been making up lots of excuses and ditching us at the worse possible times--"

"Oh!" Rena began, "You mean like that time when those fangirls tried to--"

Keiichi slammed his hand over Rena's mouth, "Yes, like that time..."

"..." , was Mion's only response. Unlike her friends, she knew of her sister's dilemma. Satoshi was alive...but in an unstable state where he saw everyone as an enemy. As a result, he had been put under sedation. His condition had improved rather well since that fateful day when he had first woken up about a year ago; however, he still saw strangers as demons. He only trusted Irie and a few others. Sadly, this excluded Shion.

The trio arrived at school, where Keiichi was interrogated by the councilor upon his arrival, and just when the brunette thought that the tempest was over...he was showered with rain the minute he entered the classroom...literally.

"DAMMIT, SATOKO!" He screeched.

Satoko, who had been eagerly waiting at the center of the room, began to laugh her signature laugh.

"Oh ho ho ho! No matter how many times Keiichi-san falls for a trick, it's _still_ funny!"

"Damn you, you little demon!"

Keiichi began chasing the blonde around the room, carefully dodging traps here and there. The door slid shut as Shion meekly entered the room. She was paler than usual and had bags under her bright green eyes. It wasn't exactly a pretty sight.

"Sh-Shion!" Mion gasped, "What are you doing here?"

"I go to school here now, remember?" the younger twin teased.

Shion took in the scene before her. "Ah, it seems that once again, poor Kei-chan has fallen victim to Satoko's tricks," she chuckled.

Rena joined in with her, as did Mion. However, the older Sonozaki knew that her sister's happiness was forced.

--

Shion stood before the Institution. She couldn't understand why, but suddenly an eerie chill ran through her body and kept her frozen in place. The building didn't bode intimidation; in fact, it was rather...welcoming. However, what lay inside waiting for her did the opposite. She was about to turn around and run back to the apartment, when her inner self grabbed some determination.

_Get a hold of yourself, Shion! So what if Satoshi-kun doesn't recognize you right now? If you abandon him now, then there's no hope! You have to go inside! And if you're not going to do it for yourself, then do it for Satoshi-kun. And let's not forget Satoko-chan. You can't just leave her without her 'Nii Nii'! Go inside...NOW!_

With a deep breath, Shion stormed into the Institution. The interior was like that of any other hospital. Some not-so-ill looking patients sat in the lobby, waiting to be called. Doctors rushed people through the hallways and screamed commands to the nurses, who paged others for help. The aroma of disinfectant lay thick in the air. And let's not forget that bored looking nurse who sat behind the receptionist's desk, looking at a magazine.

Shion walked up to her. "Uh, excuse me? I'm Shi--"

"Oh, I know who _you_ are," the nurse replied, "The doctor's in room 222 today."

She dismissed Shion with a wave.

"Okay," Shion replied, forcing a small smile. _Bitch._

She headed upstairs to room 222, which was the doctors' and nurses' lounge. Irie was talking casually with a fellow colleague. Shion knocked on the door.

"Excuse me? Is it okay for me to come in?"

"Sure. I was just finishing my conversation with Dr. Akai."

Dr. Akai nodded and left as Shion entered the room.

"Now, Shion, before I give you your schedule, I'd like to say that you are in no way _obligated_ to help us here at the Institution. You can quit at _any_ time--"

"No, no, no. I'm _more_ than happy to help out in any way I can. For the sake of the people of Hinamizawa..."_ And for Satoshi's sake..._

"Okay then, here's a schedule of things you'll have to do for Satoshi during vacation," Irie explained, "You'll notice that you're free on weekends and certain holidays--"

"_What?!_" Shion cried, her heart almost bursting out of her chest as she read a line on the schedule over and over again.

"Shion, I admire your determination to help Satoshi, but I can't have you--"

"No, not that! I have to..." Shion squeaked, her face reddening at the thought, "I have to..._bathe _Satoshi-kun?!"

"Well, we don't want him to get _dirty_, now do we?" Irie teased, "But I understand if you feel..._uncomfortable--_"

"No. It's-It's okay. I don't mind. How...how hard could it be?"

--

_Oh why, oh _why_ did I say that_?! Shion mentally exclaimed as she hovered over the sleeping patient whom she had to bathe.

Satoshi lay fast asleep, occasionally mumbling something about teddy bears and cupcakes. Shion brushed a few stray strands of hair from his peaceful face. He looked so angelic and at ease that no one would ever guess what hell he was experiencing. Shion felt a smile crawl onto her face. She let out a deep breath.

_Okay, Shion. You can do this. He is like any other patient you've bathed at the Institution. He has what every other patient of his gender has..._

The thought only made Shion even _more_ uncomfortable that she already was. Shaking her head, she began removing the tubes and appendages off of Satoshi's being. Then, she injected a sedative into his arm to make sure that he wouldn't wake up anytime soon. Now began the difficult process of stripping Satoshi down. Shion decided to start with his light blue and white top, carefully pulling it over his head before pulling down the matching shorts and undergarments below. Next, she carried him to the shower room (which was built into his room) and placed Satoshi into a nice warm bath.

Shion massaged shampoo into the blond's scalp and rinsed his hair carefully to avoid getting any suds into his eyes. She scrubbed the upper half of his body...freezing when she reached the waist. She just sat there for about five minutes, merely staring at his chest, not sure if she wanted to continue.

_Here goes nothing..._

She continued downward, trying her best not to flush while cleaning "down there" and lastly rinsed and dried him before placing fresh clothing over his body. Finally, she hooked all the machinery he had worn. Satoshi stirred, making Shion jump. However, he went back to sleep almost immediately.

"Thank you..." he whispered.

The logical part of Shion's mind assumed that Satoshi believed that it was Irie who was taking care of him and was probably whom he was thanking. But the more hopeful side of her thought that Satoshi recognized her. And it was that part that she was going to stick to.

_A/N: A rather cheesy ending; yes, I know. I didn't know exactly how to end this one, Neh... –Sweat drop- Also, this fanfic will be a _bit_ AU-ish, so expect a little tweaking here and there...not much though. _

_THANKS FOR READING! AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! _

_Because reviews are what make the world go round! XD_


	2. Nightmares and Daydreams

Hey, it's me, japaneserockergirl here

_Hey, it's me, japaneserockergirl here! I would like to thank Fear My Evil and TideDrop for their reviews! –insert applause here- And now here is yet another chapter of HNKN: Kaiki-hen!_

**Disclaimer: **Japaneserockergirl, in no way humanly, mechanically, supernaturally (yes, _**supernaturally**_) or electronically possible, owns _any_ characters of _Higurashi no naku koro ni _and _Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai._

Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai: Kaiki-hen

_When Cicadas Cry Solutions_:

_Recovery Chapter _

Part II: Nightmares and Daydreams

Shion fought against the exhaustion that threatened to pull her into the depths of slumber. Having the sun blare down on her and the intense heat causing her damp clothes to stick to her body didn't exactly help, either. Recently, she had been suffering through periods of horrible, violent nightmares and heart-breaking dreams, making her a sobbing basket case at night...and a lethargic _corpse_ during the day. So, Shion sat there, trying to focus on the game the club was playing—Hide and Seek. But the bushes she hid in were surprisingly comfortable and it wasn't long before she dozed off.

_Shion groaned as her eyelids lifted at the plip-plop of drops of water leaking from a faulty pipe. She found herself floating above some kind of torture chamber, one that she recalled seeing before, but never truly seeing. All kinds of weapons lined the walls. Someone was in one of the dungeon cages, sobbing. Mion, perhaps? Before Shion could figure out the situation, the creaking of a large door echoed throughout the chamber. Footfalls followed, ones that—with regret—she recognized as her own. The sobbing stopped as Mion looked up._

_Shion recognized this scene all too easily._

_"_You murderer!"_ Satoko cried; her arms and legs were bound to a wooden cross as Shion approached her. The look-alike smirked; a low chuckle escaped her lips._

"Aw, did Kimiyoshi finally die?_" she inquired teasingly._

_Satoko flinched, turning away._

_"_Oh, so you _watched_ him die, didn't you?"_ 'Shion' let out a light laugh._

"How dare you do this to everyone, to Rika! What are you planning to do with me?!"

_The laughter left the doppelganger's voice. _"I'm going to kill you,"_ she muttered._

_Satoko gasped. The real Shion covered her eyes. She didn't want to see this; she didn't _need_ to see this._

"Stop it! Please don't kill Satoko!"_ Mion pleaded, the desperation obvious in her voice._

"You're going to beg for her life now?_" the younger twin taunted before retorting,_ "You never did that for Satoshi, did you? This is all_ your_ doing!"

_Mion whimpered. Suddenly, 'Shion' began stabbing Satoko with the blade she wielded, causing the blonde to cry out in pain. The replica laughed the younger girl's tears._

"Please forgive her! I don't care what you do with me, but _please_ forgive Satoko!"

"You were pleading just as I was back then. But no matter what you do, you can't reach her, you can't save her. _YOU'LL STAY THERE AND ENJOY WATCHING HER BLEED!_"

'_Shion' jabbed Satoko again, more blood splattering into the air. Satoko screamed._

"STOP IT! Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it!"_ Mion screeched._

_'Shion' withdrew her weapon. _"Why don't we have a little _bet_? Say you're sorry a thousand times. If you do, I might just let Satoko go."

_Mion began to apologize, her voice rising bit by bit with each 'Sorry'. As she did this, the doppelganger continued her stabbing, earning more screams; the horror continued. 'Shion' laughed in Satoko's face._

"You seem to have a penchant for crying," _she mocked, observing the blonde sob, _"Do you think by crying this time your Nii Nii will _save_ you?!"

_Another blow. Silence._

"Satoko, are you listening?" _'Shion' slapped her._ "Listen, you brat! Do you understand how you upset him? Do you see how far you pushed Satoshi at all?"

"Nii-nii!"

"Yes, all you did was cry for help, and that was good enough for you. Satoshi would always want to save you if you cried. Did you ever consider what a burden you placed on him? Satoshi _isn't_ any hero; he's _not_ invincible; he just. Saves. You."

_The 'copy' pointed the blade near Satoko's eye._

_"_Ah!"_ Satoko gasped._

_'Shion' repeated her vicious stabbing as she did before, but with more effort this time, enjoying Satoko's every shriek. Satoko panted._

"What's the matter? You can't feel your right arm anymore? Well, why don't we switch to your left one?"

_The greenette stabbed._ _Silence._

"You've stopped crying. You've realized that it excites me, haven't you? Is that it?"

_Satoko replied weakly,_ "I-I thought like that, too. I thought Nii-Nii left because of me, too."_ Tears began to form in her crimson-brown eyes._ "Even though I always knew how tough he had it, I just...I couldn't stop clinging to him! I wanted him to protect me!"

"How unexpected,"_ the other girl answered, lowering down her weapon. _"I wouldn't have _imagined_ that you were aware of it."

_Hope rose in the blonde's voice._ "Nii-Nii's going to come back some day. I'm sure of it. And when he does, I'm going to show him how grown up I've gotten. I'll show him that I won't have to hide behind him anymore."

_'Shion' laughed._ "Wouldn't it be nice if he came back?"_ she asked with some derision in her voice. She let out a chortle._

_Satoko's confidence only rose._ "Nii-Nii will definitely come back! I'll wait for him and tell him I'm sorry for being so spoiled. I won't ever give in until then. No matter how hard things get, I won't rely on him! That way when he comes back, I can make him proud of me. You just wait!"

"Don't get so cocky, you little brat."

"If stabbing is what you want, then stab me all you like! I won't cry. Never again. Never again!"

_'Shion' resumed her psychotic stabbing._

"Nii-Nii, are you watching? I've gotten so much stronger. No matter what happens, I won't rely on you. I won't resort to something like this. I won't ever cry over something like this!"

_'Shion' delivered the final fatal blow with a scream. The younger girl's body crumpled, dead. _

"Sa...Satoko?"_ the real Shion inquired,_ "Please! Open your eyes! Say something! Don't...don't submit so easily...please Satoko..._Satoko!_"

"Shion...Shion! Wake up!" a vaguely familiar voice cried.

"Satoko! Satoko!"

"Shion, wake up! Please!" the voice implored.

"No..._NO!_"

"Shion!"

Shion felt a powerful force smack her face and her mint green eyes snapped open. Panting, she looked to the side, where Keiichi knelt beside, a look of recognition on his face.

"Shion, are you awake?"

"Where am I?" Glancing, she found herself in the middle of a room, with mops, buckets and other janitorial supplies. The air was musty and thick with dust and the window was the only source of light.

"The old shed by the school. Do you _know_ how loud you were screaming? You almost gave me away!" Keiichi joked with a chuckle. His face turned serious. "Shion...are you...are you okay?"

Shion brought herself up into a sitting position. "Yeah, of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

"You have...those dreams, too," he muttered, his focus on the ground.

"What...what dreams?"

"You know, dreams where you see yourself hurting the ones you care about..." Keiichi began, his mind drifting back to the events of Onikakushi-hen.

"Keiichi?"

The brunette shook his head. "It's because of those dreams that I swear to myself that I will never doubt my friends..." he mumbled, "I'll never hurt anyone again..."

"What?"

"Nothing! Nothing..." Keiichi wrapped his hand around Shion's and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Shion looked at their hands and then at Keiichi, who smiled at her. She smiled back.

"If you ever have one of those dreams again, just come to me. I-I can't do much to help, but I'll always be here to listen."

Suddenly, the door opened, causing even more light to spill into the room. The two teens flinched.

"We found you!" cried Rika, "Nipah!"

"Ah!" both cried, jumping away. Their faces turned red.

"Oh ho ho ho ho! Keiichi-san with Shion-san? That's something Mion-san would _really_ enjoy!" Satoko teased. She broke into a run.

"Dammit, you brat!" Keiichi shouted, chasing after her, "Get back here!"

--

Shion sat by Satoshi's bed, as she did everyday, reading a book that Irie told her that Satoshi used to read to Satoko..._The City of Ember._ She was at the part where Lina had lost Poppy in the blackout when Satoshi began to toss and turn. Shion flinched.

_No, please don't wake up now..._

Satoshi's wine red-hazelnut eyes blinked open, his eyelashes batting against his face. He pulled himself into a sitting position, removing the face mask he wore.

"Where...where am I?"

"Satoshi-kun?"

Satoshi turned to her, revealing his beautiful face to the greenette. "Mi...Mion? What am I doing here?"

"I'm...I'm not Mion; I'm _Shion_, her twin sister. And you're at the Institution. You've been...you've been sick for a while..."

"Really? What about-what about Satoko-chan? Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's okay. _Better_ than okay. She'll be so glad to see you!"

"Have you...have you been taking care of me?"

"Uh...well,_ partially._ Usually, the nurses and doctors took care of you. I just fed you and read to you every now and then..."

Satoshi kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you," he whispered into her ear, "Shion..."

"Shion!" a voice rang out, "Shion, wake up!"

Shion awoke. She was in the Institution; however, to her dismay, Satoshi was asleep and unaware of existence. She sighed.

"Shion, it's really late. We should be getting home," Mion stated.

Shion collapsed onto her knees, whimpering under her breath.

"Shion?" Mion knelt beside her sister, who buried her head into her chest, crying.

"It's okay, it's okay," Mion whispered gently into Shion's hair. "It'll be all right. I promise."

"I just want him to get better..."

"I know. And he will. You just have to keep on believing in him."

_I know...another cheesy-ass ending. DAMMIT! I have to learn to be more...un-cheesy. I don't even like cheese all that much! Anyway, I hope you liked it! I'll update as soon as possible! _

_Preview of the next chapter: Our older protagonists go on a bit of a vacation at a beach house in Okinomiya! While there, hilarity ensues when Keiichi is almost chopped to bits during a club game at the hands of Rena! __A review a day keeps Orochimaru and Oyashiro-sama away! XD_


	3. A Summer Not to Forget! Part I

Ohayo (Good morning), or should I say Konbawa (Good afternoon)? Oyasumi (Good Evening)? Well, what ever time it is where you live, you've chosen now to read the newest chapter of _Kaiki-hen!_ And man, am I glad you did! Anyway, I apologize for taking so long to update, but school's a cruel little bugger and was taking up my time. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Japaneserockergirl, in no way humanly, mechanically, supernaturally (yes, _**supernaturally**_) or electronically possible, owns _any_ characters of _Higurashi no naku koro ni _and _Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai._

_Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai_

_Kaiki-hen_

When Cicadas Cry Solutions

Recovery Chapter

Part III: A Summer Not to Forget: The Arrival

**D**r. Irie was busily examining Satoshi's body, scribbling his observations onto a notepad. As usual, the blonde was in a deep, heavily medicated slumber and was unaware of the poking and prodding. Irie removed the stethoscope from his chest.

"Heartbeat is 70 bpm**(1.)** ...now it's time to test the blood. Shion, could you pass me that?" He pointed to the device on the counter, a small, cylindrical container with a tube leading to a needle.

Shion obeyed; Irie carefully felt around the area behind Satoshi's elbow before injecting him at a vein. The red fluid began filling the container. Once he got a sufficient amount, he removed the needle and placed a bandage on the wound.

"I'm going to the lab across the street to give this to the specialists to analyze, so you're free to go for today."

Irie opened the door, finding a nurse behind it. The two exchanged friendly glances before he left.

"Sonozaki-chan, you have a visitor."

"Now I wonder who _that_ could be..."Shion muttered sarcastically as she followed the nurse to the lobby.

And as luck would have it, Mion was patiently waiting for her at a seat. She raised her head from a magazine.

"Ah! There you are!"

"Why are you so surprised? You know I work here."

"Hey, let's have lunch somewhere. There's this new restaurant nearby that has the tastiest curry!"

Shion shook her head. "I'm sorry sis, but I don't get off for another hour."

"Liar! I just saw Irie leave through the side door!"

"Okay, fine. I just want to spend some time with Satoshi--"

Suddenly, Mion leapt onto the ground and wrapped her arms around her sister's legs. She faked—rather convincingly, I might say—a sobbing fit.

"Onee-chaaaannnnn! Why won't you feed me?!"

All eyes fell on them; whispers between waiting patients and nurses arose like a gas-ignited flame.

"Mion, stop that!" Shion hissed through clenched teeth, "You're drawing attention to us!"

"You're always with your _**boyfriend**_ and you never lend your poor, _**disowned**_ sister some money for food!"

"Mion, please! I'm begging you!" Shion's cheeks began to burn as the whispers intensified and the pressure of the stares became more powerful. Mion simply made an even bigger scene (if that was possible). "Okay, okay! I'll get you lunch!"

Mion stopped her crying and slung her arm around her sister's like nothing had happened. "Let's go!"

The two headed to the restaurant, which was a small, comfortable place where one could enjoy their meal in peace. Shion was looking through the menu when Mion decided to pitch her idea.

"Hey, Shi, I just came up with a great way to spend the next two weeks of our vacation!"

"Really? How?"

"Let's go to the beach!"

Shion blinked slowly at her sister, fearing the worst. "Mion, there are no beaches in Hinamizawa."

"I know that, which is why we're going to Okinomiya!"

Silence.

"What, you don't like the idea?"

"Sis, you know we can't leave Hinamizawa. The Syndrome will take over."

"But people come here and leave all the time."

"But they weren't _born_ here, so they can. But not us."

"Well, Irie-sensei came up with this antibiotic that he said he wanted to test on us. We could use that."

"But what about Rika-chan? This stuff might kill her..."

"Sensei said that he'll be keeping Rika for testing. Satoko and Hanyuu decided to stay, too."

"But what about Satoshi-kun?"

"_What about Satoshi-kun_? There are 52 doctors and nurse at the clinic, Shi. I think he's in good hands."

Shion tried to protest, but there was nothing in the world left hat could keep her in Hinamizawa, let alone with Satoshi. She sighed, defeated.

"Okay, I'll go."

"_Yes!_" Mion cheered, accidentally punching the waiter who was coming in with their food.

"Oh!"

_CRASH!_

"Oops..."

"I'm not paying for that!" Shion yelled.

--

**T**wo days later, the older members of the gang were loading their luggage into the minivan—well, _most_ of the older members. Mion was 'supervising' them, and by 'supervising' I mean sitting in a foldable beach chair reading the July 1984 issue of _Comp Ace_.

"Dammit, Mion! Why don't you do something?" Keiichi complained, loading a box into the car.

"What do you call this?"

"You know what I mean! Geez, the only good thing coming out of this is the fact that I get away from Satoko and her traps for two weeks."

"Hey! Keiichi-san, that's mean!"

Keiichi pressed his face against the young blonde's. "_No_, what's mean is tampering with one's water heater so freezing water comes out of their shower!"

"I was just thinking you might want a cold shower."

"In the middle of _winter_?"

"Hey, I said I was thinking; I _didn't_ say I was thinking clearly."

Mion pushed them away. "Break it up, you two. It's time to leave."

"I'm driving!" Keiichi declared. He was punched in the stomach by the greenette and crumpled onto the ground.

"Ah ah ah, Kei-chan. You lost yesterday's game, remember? So _I_ get to drive."

"_Great._ I always knew one day a punishment game would be my death."

"Oh, come on, you're over exaggerating. I'm not _that_ bad a driver. Right, guys?"

Silence.

"Guys!"

"Well, it didn't exactly help that you crashed into a light pole," Rena said meekly.

"Or nearly collided with that truck," Satoko added.

"Or practically ran over that cat," Rika muttered.

"Or _barely_ missed that old lady," Shion sighed.

"On the same day," Keiichi remarked, "Oh, and let's not forget _Hanyuu_..."

Everyone turned to find the lavender-haired girl in a fetal position, whimpering.

"Okay_ fine!_ I'm a horrible driver! But I'm the only one with a license considering that a certain _someone_,--she looked at Keiichi—failed their driving test five times."

"I don't do well under pressure, okay?!"

"Never mind that. Let's get going."

Everyone exchanged their goodbyes before Shion, Mion, Rena, and Keiichi drove off to Okinomiya.

--

**S**atoshi gazed at the ceiling of his room. The medicine had finally wore off and allowed him to fully awaken. He was very grateful for this; the medication made him drowsy and dulled his senses to a point where he wondered if he was truly awake at all. But moments like these proved that his situation was very real. His red-brown eyes wandered to the large teddy bear sitting on one of the machines.

He sighed. True, Satoshi didn't know _exactly_ how long he'd been at the clinic (Irie hid this from him in order to not discourage the blonde). But he knew it must have been _way_ past Satoko's twelfth birthday.

_Heck, she may not even be twelve anymore..._

He turned, pressing his face against the pillow as a tear began to run down his cheek. No, he had to be strong! No matter how long it had been, he couldn't give in to the sadness. And yet...

_I'm sorry...Satoko-chan..._

_--_

**T**he minivan slowed to a stop in front of a magnificent beach with sparkling ocean waves that licked the shores. The side door slid open and Keiichi leapt out of the car, followed by Shion and Rena. Mion came from the driver's seat. Shielding his eyes, he peered over the boardwalk and onto the beach, where people were playing sports, surfing, swimming, or merely lounging about under the shade of their beach umbrellas.

"Okinomiya looks amazing!"

"Hau! I bet Rena can find a lot of cute things here! Like that hermit crab!"

"Okay, Kei-chan! I didn't crash the car. Now pay up!" Mion declared.

"Fine." Keiichi pulled out some money from his pocket and slapped it onto Mion's hand. Mion smiled as she began counting.

"Hey, sis. What are we doing here? Aren't we going to the beach house?"

"Oh, we are, but I just thought that we should have a mini-club activity: a watermelon chopping contest!"

"Wait, that's it?" Keiichi asked, dumbfounded, "No penalty game?"

"There's no need for one, Kei-chan; _you're_ not going to be playing."

"Okay, one: that's a fucked up thing to say. I'm not _always_ the loser--"

"_Pfffthh_..."Shion muttered, earning a glare from the brunette.

"And _two_, what do you mean I'm not going to play?"

Mion smirked deviously, making Keiichi jolt nervously. He did _not_ like where this was going.

--

**T**he sunlight filtered through the green leaves of the trees as Rika, Satoko, and Hanyuu walked to Irie's office. Satoko basked in the comfortable silence between the three of them, her arms crossed over her head. Little did she know that her two friends _were_ talking...telepathically, that is.

_Isn't it such a peaceful day, Rika?_

'_Yes, yes it is.'_

_And I'm glad that we didn't go to the beach. I don't think I could survive the ride there._

Rika chuckled. Luckily, Satoko was too busy being wrapped up in her own thoughts to hear.

'_Ah, foolish Hanyuu! You sound so--'_

_Childish?_

'_Yeah...'_

_You're a child, too, y'know._

'_In body, yes. But in soul...'_

_Rika, you shouldn't worry yourself like this._

'_Well, how can't I? There's this part of that...that is _tired_ of Hinamizawa, tired of the same old village, the same old school, the same old everything! I want to explore the world—this wide, round, beautiful sphere filled with god-knows-what kind of adventure...but I can't.'_

_At least...not yet._

Rika gave Hanyuu a curious look. _'"Not yet?"'_

_I believe...that one day, we _will_ be able to venture outside this small village...but you have to be patient, Rika. Patience is a virtue._

A warm smile spread along the purple-haired girl's features, only to quickly transform into a smirk. Rika began pulling at the sides of Hanyuu's cheeks, contorting her face into all sorts of shapes.

_Ow, ow, ow! What'd I do this time?!_

_'How is it possible that I'm being lectured on virtues by such a wimp?!'_

"Uh...Rika?"

Rika froze. She slowly turned to the source of the voice—Satoko, who stared weirdly at the two; an eyebrow rose.

"Y-yeah?"

"Why are you pulling Hanyuu's cheeks?"

Rika released Hanyuu, who rubbed her sore face.

"Au au au au..."

"_Uhhh..._there was a bug? Yeah! There was a bug on her face and I was trying to kill it!"

"Ok_ay_..."

"L-let's just get to the clinic. Dr. Irie must be getting impatient. Nipah"

"Fine," Satoko sighed before she turned once more and resumed walking. Why did _she_ choose such weird friends?

"Phew..." '_That was just a little too close for my liking...'_

--

**K**eiichi whimpered at the sight of his reflection on Rena's cleaver. The trio of girls had overpowered him, knocking him into the sand and burying him up to his neck.

_And now I'm going to die with watermelon juice in my eyes. Perfect._

Rena, blindfolded, raised her cleaver into the air. It glinted in the sunlight before she swung it down, missing Keiichi's thigh by an _inch_. He sighed with relief.

"Rena, _why_ are you using your cleaver? I thought you said you left it at home!"

Rena removed her blindfold slightly. "Mi-chan gave it to me as a late birthday present."

"Mion, you _bastard_!"

Mion, who had been sitting in a beach chair under an umbrella, raised her sunglasses. "Yes, Kei-chan?"

"Don't you 'Kei-chan' me! Why did you let Rena use a cleaver? Do you _want_ me to die?!"

"No, of course not. If you're gone, who else is going to try my outfits on to see if they fit?"

Keiichi scowled. Rena brought up her cleaver once more before crashing it down into the watermelon, splattering pieces everywhere.

"Oh god!" Keiichi cried, "I'm bleeding!" A bit of watermelon juice reached his lips. "Mmm...Surprisingly, my blood's sweet...and _seedy_?"

Mion laughed. "That's because you're not bleeding!"

Keiichi opened his eyes. "Dammit, Mion! You're always taking risks with my life!"

"Oh calm down, you big baby. It wasn't _that_ dangerous."

"There was a cleaver involved. Yes it was!"

"You know Rena would never hurt you on purpose," Mion reassured.

Keiichi's glare vanished; someone was missing. "Hey, where's Shion?"

"Huh?" Mion took a glance around. She found Shion under a smoothie kiosk, sipping a drink. "I'll be right back guys."

She ran off, deliberately kicking sand into Keiichi's face.

"Damn you, Mion!" he coughed.

Rena giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, _nothing_. I just think it's kind of cute how you pretend to be mad at Mi-chan just to hide how you really feel."

"What are you _talking_ about?" Keiichi stood up and dusted the sand and watermelon juice off his body, "I'm not _pretending_. I could've really died back there!"

This didn't convince Rena at all. "_Sure_, Keiichi-kun. Sure..."

The heat rose to Keiichi's cheeks. He quickly turned around as to not confirm Rena's suspicions, only to find himself gazing at the very person the whole argument was about. Mion was sitting beside her sister, trying to comfort her. His eyes trailed down her figure. Keiichi had never really taken a good look at Mion before and now he was starting to enjoy what he saw. The sea-green tank top curved perfectly around her chest and her sloping form. The towel wrapped around her waist exposed a bit of her long, smooth legs—

Keiichi slapped himself. _What are you _saying?!_ We're just friends! Just friends!_

Rena's chuckle brought him back to reality. She had witnessed his little internal struggle, which only made the poor brunette redden even more. She winked.

"Rena's going to see if Shion wants to go explore the beach for cute things. Good bye!"

She took off.

"Rena, wait!" But Keiichi's plea was pointless; Rena put Olympic track stars to shame when it came to speed.

--

**M**eanwhile, Mion approached her twin, who appeared to be in a daze. She absently absorbed the fluid in her cup.

"Shion? _Shiiioonnnn..._" She waved her hand in front of her sister's face.

"Huh?"

Mion sat beside her. "You okay?"

"Yeah...I'm just a little worried about Satoshi-kun."

"The whole point of this vacation was for you to take a_ break_ from Satoshi-kun. Please try to enjoy it."

"Okay..."

Rena came up to the twins, panting. "Shi...chan...you wanna go exploring?"

"Oh, I don't _know..._"

Rena winked, making subtle gestures at a flustered Keiichi.

"...but on the other hand, what do I have to lose?! Come on, Rena!"

The two raced away as far as they could, leaving a confused Mion and an embarrassed Keiichi. Mion turned to find Keiichi staring at her. Both of them turned away. Then, she realized why Rena and Shion were so eager to leave.

"_SHIIIIITTTTTTTT!" _

**A/N:** Man, this is the longest chapter I've ever written! I apologize if it's too long a read, especially since most of it is dialogue. This chapter was _supposed_ to reveal Keiichi's past, but if I had put up the whole thing, it would've been much longer than 2566 words! I hope you enjoyed it, though! I apologize for any lack of '--' when I switch scenes; the site's acting crazy...

_Preview: Keiichi considers his feelings for Mion as the two explore alone; a pondering Shion wonders how a certain orange-haired girl can always be so happy. _

Don't forget to review! Reviews make my brother less psycho! XD

**(1.) Bpmbeats per minute**


	4. A Summer Not to Forget! Part II

Okay, I know I promised that this was going to be the final part, but now that I look at it, the 'A Summer Not to Forget' has 2 more chapters to go (excluding this one) (Dammit, I wanna get back to the Shioshi!). I'm just really glad that you guys don't mind. Anyway, onto the chapter!

-japaneserockergirl

P.S. I'd like to thank iSnuffles, lemntanimegirl, and Kamikaze Hakkeshu, as well as anyone else I missed, for reviewing!

**Disclaimer: **Japaneserockergirl, in no way humanly, mechanically, supernaturally (yes, _**supernaturally**_) or electronically possible, owns _any_ characters of _Higurashi no naku koro ni _and _Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai._

_Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai_

_Kaiki-hen_

When Cicadas Cry Solutions

Recovery Chapter

Part IV: A Summer Not to Forget: Caged by Secrets, Fears and Lies

The heat began to ease as Keiichi and Mion walked along the streets by the beach, occasionally getting a cool breeze from a passing car. An awkward silence hung between the two friends, who mentally cursed Shion and Rena for leaving them alone in such a situation.

_Dammit, Rena! Why the hell did you have to leave me alone with her? After planting dirty thoughts in my head, no less!_ Keiichi wondered.

He slowly let his eyes wander towards the greenette, studying her carefully as if to burn the image to memory. He quickly whirled away when Mion met his gaze.

_This is bad! What-what should I do?_

"A-ah, Keiichi! It's really hot out here, so why don't we go to the ice-cream shop nearby? I hear it's American."

Keiichi blinked slowly, causing Mion to hesitate.

"What, you don't want to go?"

"No, I-I mean yes, I want to, but..."

"But what?"

"You called me 'Keiichi'."

Mion chuckled. "Well, that's your _name_, isn't it?"

"True..."_ But I think I liked 'Kei-chan' better..._

Keiichi blushed at the thought.

Mion snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"H-huh?"

"Are you okay? You seem a bit out of it..."

"Eh? No, no! I'm fine! Let's go."

Mion's worried expression quickly melted away. "_Okay!_"

She grabbed him by the hand and began pulling him along. The sudden action had made the brunette jump and Mion was completely unaware that his face had just become ten shades brighter. Keiichi soon calmed down, however, and gazed at their intertwined hands. He smiled a bit. Suddenly, the image of a dead girl flashed through his mind; her expression bore shock, her blue eyes glazed over as death took a hold of her. Blood trickled from her chest and formed a puddle around the corpse. Keiichi shook his head, trying to dispel the thought from his mind, and shuddered. Fortunately, Mion hadn't noticed.

He looked back at their hands and frowned.

"..." _I don't deserve this..._

**--**

"_**H**__auuuu!_ Mr. Hermit Crab, I'm going to take you home!"

Rena slammed her net onto the wet sand, sending bits and pieces into the air as she tried to capture a hermit crab. Sadly, the little thing always seemed to dodge the net by at least an inch.

"Don't you wanna come home with me? Stay still!"

_POOF!_ Rena began to cough. Shion giggled. The younger twin sat nearby, watching the red-head gather 'cute' things to take home with her. The gentle waves licked her toes as they rolled against the sand. Sometimes, she found herself wishing she could be as care-free as Rena, never worried about much more than if food burned or a cute thing broke. Rena never had to worry about the wrath of Onibaba, or get disdainful looks and comments from some of the elders of the Sonozaki family. In fact, Shion believed that it was _impossible_ for anyone to hate Rena. She was cute, smart, and kind.

But she wasn't Rena; she was Shion Sonozaki, younger twin of Mion Sonozaki, who was to be the heir to the Sonozaki fortune. Was that all she was? True, she was bright and cheerful, as well as caring, but that was just about it. She had no particular talents, like baseball or cooking. But her sister was...well, amazing. Mion was good at all kinds of sports and could shoot a gun. Well, so could Shion...and actually hit her target1. Shion chortled.

_That's a talent I guess...Kasai always said I was a sharp shooter..._

She wrapped her arms around her knees. _But can I save a life?_

Her mind flashed to the first time she had seen Satoshi at the hospital, laying on a bed in a dull, white room, attached to those machines. He looked so pale and _lifeless_. She shivered at the memory.

"...i-chan! Shi-chan!"

"Huh?" Shion found Rena looming overhead.

"Are you okay? Are you?" Rena tilted her head in concern.

"A-ah, yeah! So, did you find anything?"

"Yeah! Rena found a whole bunch of seashells!"

"What about Mr. Hermit Crab?"

"He ran away...how do you think Keiichi-kun and Mi-chan are doing?"

Shion smirked, "Yes, I _wonder..._"

**--**

"_Oh..._"

"**Q**uit being such a baby, Kei-chan! It wasn't even that much ice cream."

Mion had brought Keiichi to the Caravel Ice Cream Shop. Despite the awesome air-conditioning and the cute waitresses, the girliness of it all made his masculinity scream in rejection, but that all seemed to melt when he saw Mion's brightened expression. Why she enjoyed Western stuff so much was beyond him.

She then proposed the idea of having an ice cream eating contest, the loser having to pay the bill. Keiichi had been doing rather well until the third round, when they had banana splits...and the result hadn't been pretty. And now here they were, sitting by the boardwalk once more, enjoying the sunset.

"Yes it was!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You can't even handle a banana split!"

"_No.._. I can't handle a banana split with six helpings of ice cream! Speaking of handling, where the hell do you put all that?"

"The Sonozaki family is known for not only our wealth, but our fast metabolisms! There is not a single fat man in the bunch!"

"Oh shut up and give me the ginger ale..."

Mion's smirk widened. "Sounds like someone's a sore loser."

"Sounds like someone needs to give me some ginger ale before I _puke_."

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Mion!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" she laughed, handing him the soft drink, "You know I'd never hurt you...right?"

"_Hmm..._"

"Kei-chan!"

"I'm joking! Hey, how about we go find Rena and Shion?"

"No need; _they're_ coming to _us_!"

Mion pointed down the boardwalk; sure enough, the younger greenette and red head were trotting along, happily chatting away.

"Oi!" Mion yelled, waving, "How dare you leave me with this idiot!" She pointed her free hand at Keiichi.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Mi-chan! But look at all these cute seashells!" Rena shoved a bucket of colorful shells at Mion.

"I see...did Shion help?"

"Well I--"

"Yeah! Shi-chan got a lot of shells for me! Like-like this shiny conch shell!"

Shion was stunned. _Rena's _lying_ for me_?

Keiichi sat there, observing the conversation from an outsider's perspective. These three—along with Satoko, Rika, and (most recently) Hanyuu—had always been with him, always told him their secrets. But could he tell them his?

_No...I can't; I should just forget about it. What happened in the past _stays_ in the past..._

Keiichi rose from the bench. "Let's see...I was almost chopped to _bits_ by _Rena_ and _Mion_ forced me to eat ice cream until I _puked_. So, Shion, it's _your_ turn to make me miserable today! So what _torment_ will you put me through _now_?"

"It's too late for torture; I really want to go to the beach house and hit the hay," Shion replied.

"_Phew..._ thank you, Shion! At least _you_ have a heart!"

"_Ah_...no. I'm going to take you with me bra-shopping tomorrow!" she sang.

"_NOOOOO!_"

"_YESSSSS!_" Shion mimicked, "Let's go to the car."

**--****  
T**he drive had taken an hour; by the time the gang arrived, the sun had vanished behind the gleaming ocean, replaced by a round, silver moon. The beach house was a small, Victorian style condominium that was close to the main city, which loomed over the beach. The van slowed to a stop at the driveway.

"Wake up! We're here!" Mion yelled.

The others began to stir and leave the car, followed by Mion, who still managed to reach the door first and knock. The door opened, letting light spill onto the porch. A girl approximately Rika's age stood there; she had lengthy black hair tied into two bun-like ponytails and bright blue eyes, dressed in a cream white nightgown.

"Hi, Kira-chan! Where's auntie?" Mion asked.

Kira began contorting her fingers, pausing every five seconds to show Mion the symbols she made.

"So, she's gone for the weekend?"

Kira nodded. Keiichi leaned into Mion's ear. "What's she _doing_?"

"Sign language; Kira's dumb."

"Mion, that's a mean thing to say!"

"_No_! Not dumb as in stupid, you idiot! Dumb as in she can't talk."

"_Oh..._"

"_Oh..._" Mion mocked, smacking Keiichi's forehead.

"_Ow..._"

Kira, who didn't seem to notice, smiled and bowed, allowing the gang to enter. The house's interior was just as lovely as the outside. The floors were nicely polished and there were two stairwells—one leading to the left wing upstairs and the other leading to the right wing. In between the two stairwells was a section with a small table adorned with a vase of flowers. A crystal chandelier hung overhead. Kira pulled on Keiichi's shirt and pointed to the left stairwell.

"Guess that's my room then..." He grabbed his duffel bag and headed upstairs. "'Night!"

The door slammed behind him.

Kira pointed at the three girls and then at the right stairwell.

"Okay; Good night." Shion gently patted the young girl on her head before she and the other two girls walked upstairs and into their respective rooms.

_Well this is saddening; this was just a freaking _filler_ chapter! And I hate fillers! X( _

_I apologize for this unfortunate event, but I promise you! The next chapter will be very dramatic! This. I. SWEAR. _

_So, just click that little purple button and review! Please provide constructive criticism so I can make the next chapter an even _better_ one!_

1 Matsuribayashi-hen is proof of that! XD


	5. Major Revamping!

Major Revamping!

My dear readers, it seems that I have hit a rough patch in _Higurashi no naku koro ni kai: Kaiki-hen._ But rest assured, I am revising it as we speak and the revised version will be uploaded soon, the latest being summer 2009. I apologize for the inconvenience.

-japaneserockergirl

;(


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